1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally directed to fish-handling equipment, and more particularly to a fish scale which includes pivotally moveable opposing jaws, the distal lower ends of which are covered with textured molded GRIP SOCKS which engage the lower lip of the fish for better retention during weighing and without harm to the fish.
2. Description of Related Art
For the more serious fishermen and in tournament competition, the ability to catch, weigh and release fish unharmed should be facilitated by fish-handling tools for this purpose. Once a fish is caught and landed, the precise weighing of the fish and the recordation of data is best accomplished with a fishing tool which does not injure the fish so that it may be returned to the sea.
One such device known to applicant was invented by Camp and is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,119,585 and currently marketed under the trademark BOGAGRIP. This patent teaches a fish-handling tool having a complex structure which causes opposing jaws to pivotally move from an automatically locked closed position wherein the distal lower ends of the jaws touch one another to an open position wherein the lower lip of a fish may be positioned there between, after which the releasing of a longitudinal actuator of the device causes the jaws to re-close on the lower lip. Thereafter, the Camp device is provided with a conventional tubular spring scale with incremental readings for fish weight inscribed along an inner tubular member within the handle. However, this device has no means for the accurate digital reading of fish weight and has no provision for the storing of data with respect to each fish caught and weighed. Moreover, it is not buoyant.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,031,710, Parker teaches an electronic fish scale which utilizes the linear displacement of a spring along a variable resister to provide an electrical signal in proportion to the amount of weight of the fish hung therefrom. A pair of fish-handling pliers is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,256,923 invented by Norton which is structured similar to that of a conventional pair of Vice Grips having spaced jaws which come together over the lower lip of the fish, presumably without harming the fish.
A fish stringer with floating weight indicator is disclosed by Coles in U.S. Pat. No. 5,987,808. This invention, which does not weigh a fish, is generally directed to a conventional fish stringer having an openable hook attached to one end and a floating weight indicating device attached to the other end of the elongated flexible cord. Although this device does not actually weigh a fish, it includes rotatable discs each bearing numerical indicia which may be positioned to indicate the weight of the fish before it is placed in a live fish well. The fisherman may then easily observe the weights of all of the fish in the well by simply looking at each of the floating weight indicating devices attached to the corresponding fish.
The present invention provides a fish scale which incorporates all of the benefits of the above prior art with the addition of several added features. A simplistic, yet effective design for opposing c-shaped openable jaws is also provided for harmlessly engaging the lower lip of a fish while being weighed by the device. Molded resilient plastic covers (“GRIP SOCKS”) for the distal end portions of each jaw for enhanced grippability and protection from harming the mouth of the fish are also provided. Moreover, the housing is ergonomically configured to facilitate hand holding of the device while the jaws are opened and closed and while the fish is being held for weighing therefrom. An aperture is also provided to attach the device either to a rope or hook to facilitate fish weighing.